Link's Ranch Life
by NintendoGamer64
Summary: The Link of Twilight Princess is having a dream, a dream of his ancestor and his life after two of the greatest journeys the world would never know. LinkxMalon. Post-Majora's Mask. Sequel to After the Twilight.
1. Prolouge

_Hyrule Castle, Post-Twilight Princess_

Link had just finished training with the royal guards. They were doing slightly better than before, but these were guards that couldn't possibly get worse. He had rested in his room (designed by Zelda and Illia to resemble the interior of his house in Ordon) with a nice glass of Goat Milk. Link was always a rancher, but he always felt like he was destined for more. He was right. Although, he did sometimes wonder how his family had become ranchers in the first place. With that, he fell asleep, to a strange dream.


	2. Chapter 1

_Lost Woods, Post Majora's Mask_

Link was mounted on Epona. He had just defeated the demonic mask and failed his quest to find Navi. He didn't know if he would ever see her again, but did realize one thing on his quest in Termina. He missed a certain girl.

He remembered meeting Romani. He couldn't believe how much she resembled Malon. She was cute the way she called him Grasshopper. Did he really paddle when he walked? Then he helped out her older sister, Cremia. She looked like adult Malon. After defending her milk cart from the Gorman brothers, she gave him a mask and pulled him in for a hug. He decided that he should see Malon again.

Princess Zelda had previously sent Link back in time to before they met. He had met Ruto and Daruni, but they hadn't met him. It was strange. He still met Malon though, since he needed her help to break into Hyrule Castle to warn the young princess about Ganondorf. He later met up with her again at Lon Lon Ranch to get Epona to help him find Navi.

He had arrived at the ranch. Everything was just as he left it. Talon was napping, Ingo was complaining, and Malon was singing with a song in her heart: Epona's Song. She was quite the lovely singer. He walked up to her.

"Well, hello Fairy Boy."


	3. Chapter 2

"Well, hello Fairy Boy." Malon said in a bit of a southern accent. "Hello, Malon. How's work on the ranch." She replied, "Just the same. My father needs to take more care of the ranch and Ingo still believes that my father is a bum unfit to live. He can be so horrible at times. He thinks he'll control the ranch one day. Could you imagine how horrible that would be?" "No, I couldn't." Link replied. His reason was he actually had seen what happened. But he had abandoned that timeline. Still, he wondered, did that timeline still exist? It might have, but nobody could reach it now. What could happen? For some reason a word stuck him. Flood.

"So what brings you to the ranch, Fairy Boy?" He replied, "You may not believe me, but I just went through a second exhausting adventure. Just like the last one, the world will probably never know it happened." Malon was still a child, so she was curious. "Tell me about it." Link told her a lot. How he had to awaken the four giants, save a ranch with two Malons, reunite a lost love, and defeat a demonic mask while trying to avoid being possessed by another demonic mask. "Sounds like quite the adventure." "Yeah, but no one except me, Epona and this Skull Kid will ever know there's a parallel world beyond Hyrule."

"I believe ya, Link." Link was surprised. "You do?" "Yeah, you seem incredibly mature for your age." Link knew why. He was actually an adult in a child's body. Or at least he had the memories of one. "Anyways, I'm getting tired of adventuring and just want to do something else in my life. I feel like I'm destined for it, but I don't want to do it anymore." Malon understood. "So your going home?" "No, through one journey I found out something...different about me. All the kids who pick on me will pick on me more." She then had an idea. "What if you worked on the ranch with us? Lifting hay bales, training the horses, gathering eggs. It might be fun." Link thought about it. He honestly didn't feel like being that famous. This could be a good life.


	4. Chapter 3

"All right, Fairy Boy. Our first job is to get all these Cuckos in the pen." The cuckos kept running around. Link had an idea. He put on a goofy looking bird mask he got on his job in Termina. He pulled out his ocarina and started playing. It was a little marching tune that made the cuckos stop moving and just look at him. As Link approached each one, they started following him. After all ten started following him, he marched into the pen and stopped playing.

Malon and Talon watched in awe. Talon said, "Now that's the best Cucko rangling I ever did see." Malon said, "You're the best, Fairy Boy." Ingo muttered, "Stupid kid. Taking the easy way out while the rest of us have to actually work for a living."

The four that made up the ranch crew were now outside. "Now we got to unload these hay bales for the cows and horses." Talon said. "But they're really heavy, especially for a kid." Link knew how to lift things easily. He put on a Goron mask. Suddenly he screamed in pain, and transformed into a mighty goron. Talon said, "Are my eyes playing me for a fool, or did you just become a Goron?" In a much deeper voice, Link said, "Just a little trick I picked up." He then started lifting hay bales and threw them everywhere. Delicious hay was served to the critters. "Leave it to Link to make the animals happy!" Ingo said, "Idiot. Using witchcraft to make everyone else look like a slacker." Malon walked over to Ingo...and kicked him in the shin. "Oww, stupid girl." Malon said, "Well you deserve it for picking on him. I changed my mind. You deserved worse. Calling everyone I care about lazy.

Talon didn't notice the two bickering and said, "Link, you're a mighty fine cowboy. How'd you like to marry ma daughter?" Link didn't know how to answer, even if he knew he was joking. "I think you should be more concerned about your daughter and hired hand, sir." Talon noticed the two bickering. While Talon was trying to separate the two, Link knew he was going to like this life.


	5. Chapter 4

_7 years later_

Link was still a fine cowboy living on Lon Lon Ranch. He had a little place up in the attic of Talon and Malon's house. He had just ventured off on his own to sell milk to the people of Castle Town. That's what he told them, but he had another reason to go to Castle Town.

He had just arrived. He had sold all the milk to a little market. He had made quite a bit of rupees. He then pulled out another bag. It was from his monthly pay. He walked over to another market. This one was filled with fine antiques. He made his purchase. He loaded up the rupees into the cart and rode on back to the ranch. They had made enough of them to give to the banker at the end of the month. They were really important due to the fact Talon learned once when they didn't have enough:

 **Bankers are Cold-Hearted.**

He had just arrived at the ranch and gave the rupees to Talon. He said, "Thanks, Link." Ingo, who got a very good paycheck, passed by saying, "Now if only I could get a pay I deserve." Link tried to ignore him, as always.

He then walked over to the horse pen. He saw Malon sitting on a bench brushing Epona. He walked over to her. "Well, hello Link. You manage to deliver the milk." "Yes, but, there's another reason I wanted to go to Castle Town alone." Malon was intrigued. This was tough for Link, even if he was 23 on the inside. He was only 16 on the outside though. He pulled out a little box. "Malon, I have loved working on this ranch for the last seven years. Rounding up the animals, training the horses, getting the milk and eggs ready." Malon nodded. "But the thing that made the job the most enjoyable was seeing that smile every day. Even when the ranch went through business troubles, your smile made everyone except Ingo feel better. Not that anything makes Ingo smile except money." Neither knew that Talon was nearby scooping up chickens. "So I just wanted to see that smile and kind personality every day for the rest of my life." He opened up the box to reveal a ring that looked like an antique.

He said, "Malon, will you marry me?" This was sudden for both Malon and Talon. Malon was silent for a bit. The two men awaited her answer. She just looked into the night sky. After a few minutes she said, "Yes." Link hoped he heard those words right. "Yes, I will marry you." Link felt even more victorious than if he killed Ganondorf and Majora at the same time.

They later revealed the news to Talon and Ingo, although Talon didn't tell them he already knew. "You've got a fine man to take care of ya, honey." Malon was happy her father allowed it. "Link, you're the perfect man for my little girl." Ingo mumbled, "Great, you two idiots deserved each other." Talon ignored that and told Link, "Although I have some advice." Link listened in. Talon whispered, "Hurt my little girl, and I'll hurt you. I may be lazy, but I'm not cruel to my family." Link swallowed hard. He was still happy though. This was the greatest day of his life.


	6. Epilouge

_Post Twilight Princess: Some strange White Space_

Link was in the middle of a white void. He was not sure where he was or who's memory he just saw. He then turned around to see the Hero's Shade. The Shade said, "Just one more regret I wanted to share with you. Not telling anyone my life story. Goodbye, my descendant."

Link woke up. He was back in his room at Hyrule Castle. Well, he got his answer. And just like his ancestor at the ranch, he was going to continue his new job. Funny how his life was now an inverse of his ancestor.

 **Well guys, that's the story. So, which girl from Ocarina of Time do you ship Link with? Zelda, Saria, Malon, Ruto, or Nabooru. Or maybe someone entirely different? Let me know in the comments.**


End file.
